If it weren't for cities in those three states, Birmingham would rank dead last in Self magazine's 11th annual list of best cities for women.

As it stands, Birmingham is ranked No. 97 out of 100, just ahead of Jackson, Miss., at No. 98; Tulsa, Okla., at No. 99; and Memphis at No. 100.

For its December issue, Self gathered 7,000 bits of data, including air quality, toxic sites, sleep, weather, commute, exercise and farmers markets from 100 metro areas to find the healthiest cities in the United States.

Cambridge, Mass., is the healthiest city overall, followed by Bethesda, Md.; San Francisco; Minneapolis-St. Paul; and Boston.

According to the magazine, Birmingham residents walk to work the least of any other city studied -- residents of New York City walk to work the most -- and have a shorter-than-average life span. We do, however, have "plenty of food co-ops."

The list will appear in the December issue of Self, on newsstands today. The magazine's editor-in-chief, Lucy Danziger, will appear on the television series "The Doctors" today to reveal the finds from the annual survey. She also will share tips from America's healthiest cities. The show starts at 3 p.m. on NBC 13.